A Merger Of Sorts
by Call me Indecisive
Summary: Annabeth Chase, a contender for the position of CEO, stands to lose everything she's worked for due to a single clause in her meddling mother's will. She has but one choice: a marriage. Entrepreneur Percy Jackson stumbles his way into the mix, and they decide to solve each other's problems with a merger... of sorts. Strictly a business plan. But even the best-made plans can change.
1. Prologue

**So I wrote this story before but wasn't very happy with the way I started- considering there was only one chapter. However, I have new ideas now and hopefully, I can implement them better.**

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

He couldn't stop glancing at her every few minutes.

The kid had been there for nearly twenty minutes, all alone and nobody had come for her yet. Passers-by gave her no second glance- New York, being New York- and yet, he couldn't stop worrying about this girl, this child who just sat on the bench and observed. It was unnerving to watch what he assumed was a child of no more than seven or eight not cry or search for guidance or attention of some sort.

"Can I get you something else, sir?" the waitress smiled at him, glancing pointedly at his empty cup. He'd finished it nearly ten minutes ago.  
He was seated at a booth in his usual coffee place, watching the adjacent street through the glass wall. He gave the lady a sheepish smile.

"No, I was just leaving," he said, as he stood, pulling out his wallet and dropping a few notes onto the table. "Thanks."  
The crisp, cold wind bit at his exposed cheeks and palms when he opened the door and stepped onto the pavement. And again, his eyes sought the red-headed girl sitting on the bench, all by herself.  
He checked his watch: Enough time to make sure the girl got home safe.

The moment he sat beside the girl on the bench, her eyes shifted from the park across from them to him. Now that he was closer, he thought she really was like a tiny doll: pale, with a generous smattering of freckles and adorably wide, green eyes. Eyes, that were, inexplicably squinting at him quite openly, with a hint of suspicion.

He glanced at her, smiled and then turned his attention to the park before them.  
She stared at him for a couple more seconds, then shifted away, arms crossed, returning to her observations of the world around them. From the corner of his eye, he could see her watch everything with a fascination that amused him. Then she caught him grinning at her and her eyes narrowed.

"What do you want, mister?"  
His smile faltered and there was a long pause, before: "Um, where's your mother, kid?"  
The girl's green eyes narrowed further. "She isn't here. Why you starin' at me? Got a problem?"

His brows rose. Well, then.  
"Nope. No problem. What's your name, kiddo?"  
"Like I'd tell you. I'm not tellin' a stranger my name."  
Alright. Fair point.

"How 'bout I tell you mine first."  
The kid shifted so she was facing him, arms still crossed defensively.  
"No promises."

He wanted to laugh.  
"I'm Percy," he said, offering his palm. She eyed it as one would eye an unattended backpack at an airport carousel. "Percy Jackson."  
When the girl made no effort to grasp the proffered hand, he dropped it, albeit reluctantly.

"Seriously, though, where's your mom?"  
The girl watched him and he was unnerved by the maturity, way beyond her years, that shone in them. Then she said, quietly, "She's dead."  
Well.  
_T__hat_ was certainly not what he'd been expecting.

He didn't allow his shock or sympathy to surface. "Ah." was all he said.  
They sat in silence for about thirty seconds that felt more like an hour of awkwardness for Percy.  
"Where's your Dad, then? Or...anyone else who might come for you?"

The girl opened her mouth, as though to say something, then shook her head. "Not right now." then she wagged a finger at him, fierce and determined, like a baby ginger cat, learning to fight with her claws. "But I don't need help. I can take care of myself!"  
This time, he did chuckle, although that seemed to aggravate her more than anything.

"I'm not kidding!" she emphasized.  
"Do you know how to get home? Or-uh-" he faltered, horrified at the thought that maybe she didn't have a home and he'd just spectacularly upset a child. "Do you _have_ a home?"  
The girl gave him scathing look that he was sure, had he not been a regular recipient of, from his mother, he would have quailed under and said with an indignant scowl: "Of course, I have a home!"  
"So..why are you here? Without your dad, I mean. Won't he be looking for you?"

The girl scowled, glancing away from him and drawing her denim jacket closer around herself.  
He noticed that the jacket actually looked particularly nice, with three letters sewn in curly embroidery on her collar: _RED_.  
So she wasn't homeless, at least. Or wait, maybe she was, but she'd stolen the jacket. Good Lord, he needed to tamp down on his imagination.

"He doesn't know I'm here." she said quietly, drawing her attention away from a woman walking her dog, to a couple holding hands and laughing on a bench not far from theirs.  
"So he _would_ be looking for you?"

"You ask too many questions, Percy Jackson!" little miss feisty exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air exasperatedly and jumping off the bench. "You're really ruining this for me."  
And before he could so much as get in a word of apology or ask what 'this' she was talking about, she'd stormed off and disappeared into the morning rush crowd.  
He'd shaken his head and headed to work.

* * *

The little girl was far from his thoughts until he saw her again, in the same place, the next week.

This time, she had a little notebook with her and was scribbling furiously into it. With the notebook balanced on her folded knees and flyaway red hair blowing in the wind, she looked like a fragile doll in her own bubble, oblivious to the world around her.  
He picked up his usual order of coffee and asked the waitress for an extra hot chocolate.  
She was surprised. "With marshmallows, if you've got them please."

The girl looked up from what he realized was a sketchbook when he sat on the bench next to her and narrowed her eyes at him.  
Wordlessly, he offered her the cup of hot chocolate. She glanced at it then squinted at him again.  
He let out a long sigh then took a sip from the cup.  
"See? I drank from it. Now you."

She eyed him warily but accepted the drink and the indirect apology. They said nothing to each other, taking intermittent sips from their respective cups and sitting together in companionable silence.  
And then they left their separate ways. But she was there the next week as well.  
And the next. And the next. The waitress at his usual cafe was now used to his order of hot chocolate with marshmallows.

He learned that she was very much into art. Week after week he saw her reproduce almost exactly similar likenesses of the street they were on. And yet each drawing, whilst of the same street, looked different each time. Like it was looked at from a different perspective every time. She had talent. Somedays they spoke. He talked about his mother Sally and her blue cookies, about his job, about his friends and she laughed or asked questions but rarely volunteered information of her own willingly. One time he was enlightening her on the delights of blue licorice and she'd blurted out like she hadn't meant to: "I've never had candy."  
He had been shocked and indignant on her behalf and promptly bought her a bag of the best candy she could dig into the next time. And yet, he never knew her name.  
On the seventh Thursday he sat next to her and held out her usual hot choc, he asked her: "So, are you gonna tell me your name?"  
She considered this with the expression of one figuring out a complex calculus equation, sipping serenely from her styrofoam cup. "Hmm. Maybe later."  
He had nodded, disappointed and confused but she'd grinned at him, revealing a two-teeth-wide gap in her smile.

"It's Rachel," she said. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare."

* * *

**Any criticism or comments or queries, let me know in the reviews section! Or PM me!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Aaaaaaaaaand here's the first Chapter!  
****I hope you guys liked it, I put in a lot of effort!**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**"**_I__f nothing saves us from death, at least love should save us from life._**" ~ Pablo Neruda  
**

* * *

"Are you kidding me?"

Annabeth held up the bright pink, flimsy dress so Piper could see it.

The latter choked on a laugh and stifled it with the back of her hand.

"Oh, she is _so _gonna get it," Annabeth growled, throwing the sequined disaster as far away from her as she could. "That arrogant bitch! How _dare_ she?"  
"You know, maybe she just-"  
"Oh you know _exactly_ why she sent this, Pipes!" she snarled. "This is her not-so-subtle way of telling me I'm just a little girl with big ambitions and I should go back to playing dress up with sparkly dresses and Barbie dolls! Agh!"

The twenty-eight-year-old blonde held two sides of the dress and ripped it apart.

"Um..." her friend and coworker, Piper blinked at her uncharacteristic display of anger. "Maybe you should calm down a bit. You're clearly overreacting. Pretty sure she never meant the barbie thing."

"Oh, really? She didn't mean it? Maybe I would've believed that if she hadn't _said_ it to my _face_!" Annabeth straightened, kicking away the tattered remains of the Barbie dress. "That old _hag_ sent this to taunt me! I am _so_ firing her ass!"

"Uh, Actually I don't think you can do that. A director can only be taken off the board when the rest of the members vote for it." Piper reached over and prised her clenched fingers open. Crescent-shaped scars from her nails decorated her hand.

Annabeth abruptly sat down, face in her palms.

"Pipes, I need a break," she said, her voice muffled. "I can't… I wish Mom was here."

Piper sighed, pulling a chair and sitting down next to her friend, rubbing her back.

"I know, babe. I know." There wasn't much else she could say, really.

Athena Chase, renown architect and founder of _Athena Design and __Co_., had passed away not two days prior and an avalanche of catastrophe already threatened to collapse on her protege and more importantly, _daughter_\- Annabeth Chase. Besides just losing her mother and mentor, Annabeth now had to shoulder the burden of not only running the company and its various subdivisions but also convincing the board of directors that she was fit for the job. (One of the many problems that came with running a public company.)

If they weren't satisfied with her competence, then another of the directors would be voted to the position of their CEO and everything that she and her mother had worked for would be for nothing. She knew it would sound like she was exaggerating that last part, but she knew that none of the others had the same vision her mother had had for their company.

Out of the eight directors on the board, three were part of it purely due to the large number of shares they held.

The company was not facing good times, especially after her mother's untimely death. The share prices had plummeted and a lot of complaints had come in regarding an increase in pay and subsidies. Athena had been a no-nonsense, stubborn woman with that look in her steel gray eyes that told you not to mess with her _or else_. Now that she was gone, she supposed many found the company vulnerable enough to demand more. Annabeth supposed they were right about one thing: the company was vulnerable. But not for the reasons they thought so.

She was no doe-eyed, inexperienced blond lamb, ready for the figurative sacrificial flame and she had learned under the best. She was definitely going to show all of them that.

However, first things first.

Annabeth raised her head and pressed the intercom button on her desk.

"Hey, Drew? Send Hera a thank-you note for her thoughtful present, will you? Tell her the dress looked perfect for a niece of mine."  
"Mmkay, sure." came the disembodied reply from her secretary.  
Piper wrinkled her nose. "Drew is still your secretary? I thought you were gonna replace her. You said the 'sound of her chewing' was driving you insane."  
Annabeth sighed.  
"Yeah, I said that. Then I discovered she was chewing nicotine gum to get over her smoking issues. Can't blame her for that." she shrugged. "Besides, she's good at what she does."

Piper still looked skeptical.

The intercom buzzed again and drew spoke, this time in a lazy drawl. "Yo, Chase, you ready for that meeting yet? It's supposed to begin in another-" there was a pause like she was checking the schedule, "- ten minutes."  
Annabeth stood, wiping her palms on her slate gray, pinstriped trousers.

_People assume you are the way you look_, her mother had once told her. _So look your best_.  
And Annabeth had believed her. People always looked at her with some combination of admiration, fear, and respect- and the woman always looked immaculate, not a stray hair out of place.

"Okay," she said, exhaling loudly. "I got this. I got this."  
"You _do_ got this," Piper said appreciatively, patting the former's shoulder. "I'll be in my office if you need me, 'kay?"  
At the blonde's nod, she left, closing the private office's door softly behind her and around the secretary's desk, throwing Drew an obligatory smile. Drew merely fluttered her red-paint-tipped fingers at her in a bored fashion, still chewing her gum noisily.

She rolled her eyes and turned away-_smack!  
_She stumbled back from the person she'd run into, rubbing her forehead. "Ow, Jason."

Her boyfriend smiled sheepishly, rubbing his chin. "Sorry. I was looking for you. Lunch?"  
"Uh,.." Piper turned back to the door behind which Annabeth was surely pacing now, wearing a line into her carpet. "I'm needed here, actually. Rain check?"  
Jason nodded, following her gaze. "It's today isn't it?"

Piper shrugged. "Who knows how long they drag it out. Of eight, only two of them are for sure on her side. The others? It's a coin toss at this point."  
He kissed her briefly and smiled into her mouth. "She's one of the strongest people I know. She can do this."  
"Obviously."  
Piper linked her arm with his. "You know what? Let's order in lunch. We can eat it in my office."  
His small grin turned into a full smile, dimpling his cheeks, his blond hair glinting in the sunlight like some godly halo."Yes, definitely. Ooh, I'm thinking, Thai? From that place on eighth that you like?"

"You read my mind."

* * *

"Right." Annabeth drew herself as tall as she could, sitting at the head of the table, hands folded on the table in front of her. She tried to channel her mother, remembering her unwavering, composed demeanor and placid expression. "Let's get this over with."

"Now, see, miss Chase, that is exactly the kind of attitude that makes us wonder if you would be the right fit for this company." Hera began, her ever-present smirk growing on her smug face that inner Annabeth desperately wanted to claw to pieces. As head of the HR department, Hera had been voted onto the board of directors after her (strategic) purchase of the required amount of shares and now it seemed her life's goal was to annoy the ever-loving hell out of Annabeth. The woman constantly spoke to her in that condescending fashion, referred to her as 'that child' and in her usual manipulative fashion had managed to weasel three of the board of directors to her side.

Her side, being that _she_, of all people, should become the CEO. Annabeth couldn't help but wonder exactly what she had promised or done to convince three directors of her competence as an executive officer. The woman was a great orator, but as far as she'd seen, that was all she could do. Nevertheless, it would be naive of Annabeth to underestimate her.

However, she was either a dim-witted twit or just really wanted to test Annabeth, because as soon as she'd walked in and seen the latter seated at the head of the table, the woman had walked to the other side, ignoring her assigned seat and sat at the other head. Like she already considered herself above the others. Bitch.

"I've been in this company for nearly all my adult life, Mrs. Cronus," Annabeth began, enjoying the brief scowl on the other woman's face at the mention of her husband's name. Soon to be _ex-husband_, if the rumors were to be believed. "I think I've more than proved my worth in terms of laying out exactly what my mother wanted. I know you all respected her and trusted her judgment. If she believed I was capable, why can't you?"

It was a lame defense, in her mind, but many of the directors around the table were nodding slightly. Well, Athena certainly had their respect. She had earned it. And now it was Annabeth's turn.  
Before Hera could retaliate, she pressed on, inserting as much confidence as she could into her tone, without seeming overconfident and authoritative.  
"I realize I can't rise on my mother's coattails, gentlemen." she purposely ignored the only other woman at their table, as though her opinion didn't matter. "And I don't want to. The last thing I want or need is something I don't deserve. I wish to earn your respect and a place at this table."

"Wise words, my dear girl, but you don't even have an official place at the board." another director intervened. "There are many other contenders with far more experience in the running of companies. In fact, we've contacted a headhunter who will, I'm sure, provide us with a satisfactory list of potential heads."

"What?" Hera spluttered and as loathe as she was to agree with Hera on anything, Annabeth had to echo the sentiment...albeit on the inside. On the outside, she tried to appear unperturbed. A mature adult who'd considered all options.

"I understand why you think I lack experience." she continued, the swirling whirlpool of desperation building in her chest. "But I did learn under the best. And if I remember correctly director, you always did say Athena could transform an 'uneducated simpleton into a successful ruler of an empire'."  
A few members of the board chuckled.

"And I," she steepled her fingers, looking each of them in the eye. (Except Hera) "Am by no means, an uneducated simpleton. As for the matter of not being a board member- it's quite temporary, I can assure you. My mother's shareholdings added to mine earn me a place at this table. However, her Will-" she cleared her throat. "-it will be read tomorrow. And until everything is finalized, I hope you can withhold your judgment."  
Even Hera did not object, although she did glare resentfully at Annabeth. A burning promise for vengeance glinted in her eyes, as the board decided to postpone their decisions until the next month.

"We will, however, need a temporary CEO." Director Hermes reminded everyone.  
Murmurs rose as the directors turned and consulted each other.

"Why don't we decide that in the next board meeting? I'm sure we all need some time to… settle." Hermes's brown eyes met her own and Annabeth understood that the man was giving her time to grieve. How could she? How could she spend time grieving when there wasn't enough time to breathe? Her mother had left her with shouldering the burden of her empire. Grieving would come later. Nevertheless, she bowed her head in gratitude and the rest of the less important board matters were discussed.

The meeting was adjourned.

As far as the situation was from being solved, Annabeth couldn't help but feel a bit relieved. This was a win. She could do this.

* * *

"I hope you enjoyed my gift, dear." Hera simpered, as soon as the door shut behind the last board member. She and Annabeth were the only ones left in the conference room.  
"Oh, yeah definitely." Annabeth rolled her eyes, rounding the rectangular glass table, pushing past her to the door. "Thanks _very_ much. I've got a brilliant gift in mind for you as well."  
Hera grabbed her arm as it reached for the handle and she pointed a gold-tipped finger at her. "It's best for you if you give up this notion of becoming the CEO and trying to boss me around, child. I won't warn you again."

Pink spots had appeared high on Hera's cheeks and a loose brown lock of hair rested against her throat. It was as agitated as Annabeth had seen her.  
She sighed calmly, then pried Hera's talons off her arm.  
"Why, Hera? Afraid I'll win?"  
Hera scoffed, but Annabeth could glimpse the brief flare of fear in her eyes.

"I just wanted to give you the fair chance to back out before it gets tough, dear." She raised her chin, looking down her nose at the blonde. "But I suppose you've too stubborn an attitude to accept defeat."  
"Defeat?" the other chuckled. "Enjoy your delusions, Hera. Because I and my stubborn attitude are going to win."  
She whipped the door open and stalked out, not glancing back.

* * *

"You're joking." Annabeth stared at her deceased mother's attorney, jaw hanging in disbelief. "Tell me this is a prank. Did Piper set you up for this?"  
The man pushed his glasses up his nose, casting a nervous glance at her and then at her mother's will.

"Um, I'm afraid not, ma'am. I was present when this document was written and signed as is required by the state of New-"  
Annabeth held up a hand, silencing the man. Then she pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, running her mind through all the possible reasons her mother could've had for this ridiculous,_ ridiculous_ clause in her will. She must have put it there as a joke. What was _happening_?

"Is this even_ legal_?" she ranted.

The suit's expression stated that apparently,_ yes_ it was quite legal.  
"Read it again," she said, finally.

The lawyer cleared his throat, smoothing out the sheet of paper. "The shares amounting to 40% of _Athena design and Co_. held in my possession, will be inherited by my daughter, Annabeth Chase, provided she conforms to clause 13 as specified below."

The man glanced up the subject of the current sentence, wary of the woman's reaction seeing as the first time he'd read out the clause, she had dropped a heavy paperweight on his foot.  
Deeming her suitably unarmed, he continued: "Clause 13 states that Annabeth Chase would be required to marry within three weeks' from my demise. The marriage should last a year and a day or more. If these conditions are not met, the shares would be relinquished to my broker who will sell to willing customers at market prices. The proceeds will be donated to my charity for young women in business."

It was late evening and the sky was crowded with dark clouds, looking for all intents and purposes like it was going to rain. Well, it definitely reflected Annabeth's mood, that was for sure. The smell of incoming rain wafted through the open window, carrying with it the smell of smoke and New York. The brownstone she lived in was classy and-as expected- well designed and immaculate. Each item was in its place and incredibly well organized.

The fake fireplace crackled merrily.

She sat back down into the butter-soft armchair, leaning into the cushions, saying nothing. The lawyer seemed more stressed out by her silence than her initial outburst and shifted in discomfort on the leather couch he sat on. It squeaked. Annabeth covered her face with a hand, inhaling deeply. What had Athena been _thinking?_

"When did she write this?" she asked.

"Well, the original has been amended three times in the past- she began the original nearly twenty years ago-"

"No." Annabeth shook her head. "When did she write_ this_?"

"Um," the man quickly shuffled some papers and squinted at it through his wire-rimmed glasses. "July 13th of last year."

Annabeth drew her legs into herself, sinking into the armchair. She might as well never leave it again. July 13th…. Oh yes, she knew exactly why her mother had inserted this line into her will. _Cards close to the chest until the end, eh mother?_  
Bitterness rose in her throat and threatened to smother her. Athena and Annabeth's relationship was by no means the perfect mother-daughter relationship but they'd had a good run. Her mother had always been a perfectionist, been a tad bit stricter than the average parent, but Annabeth had never resented her for it. It had made her who she was, after all, and she wouldn't change it for the world. However, Athena had also been closed-off and impassive, hard to impress and a workaholic. Her sometimes aloof nature had been one of the pivotal reasons her marriage with Annabeth's father had fallen apart. As far as Annabeth could remember, her mother hadn't been a touchy-feely, empathetic woman. Why she had wanted custody of Annabeth, she never understood. A woman like Athena would find children a distraction, wouldn't she? At least, that is what she would have believed if she hadn't been brought up by her. She'd been old enough to know what love felt like to understand that her mother loved her. She had never doubted it.

Though she had inherited many of her mother's qualities, including her OCD, she hadn't ever felt inadequate or unloved.

Her mother may not have appreciated her openly, but she always felt it in her approving gaze._ No such thing as free lunch_, her mother would say, when she achieved something, a small smile crinkling the corners of her gray eyes. _You have to earn everything._ And Annabeth would know, without a doubt that she had earned it. Her mother never bothered with empty words. Or verbal encouragement. She preferred to spur her on with challenges. Nor did she enjoy heart-to-heart talks.

The few times they had ever had a heart-to-heart talk (if you could call it that), involved alcohol and Athena's shit tolerance.  
July 13th. The day after Annabeth's twenty-eighth birthday.

Oh yes, now she _definitely_ knew what her mother had been thinking when she'd written that clause.

* * *

_**July 12th, the previous year**_

_"Annabeth, dear." her mother's pupils were wide- if her term of endearment wasn't proof enough of her inebriation. A few flutes of celebratory champagne and wow, her mother was drunk. It would've been amusing if not for the fact that Annabeth now had to drag her mother up the stairs and tuck her into bed. "You're twenty-eight!"_

_"You really-" she grunted under the effort of dragging a practically sagging adult woman up the flight of stairs in her own home. "-shouldn't have had so many drinks."_

_"Do you know-" her mother interrupted, suddenly somber. "I married your father when I was twenty-eight."_

_Annabeth stilled. Athena never talked about Frederick Chase. It was an unspoken rule- don't talk about your father when he isn't present. One that she had followed, for the past twenty years._

_"I loved him, as surely as I have loved anyone." Athena continued. Now, Annabeth was really worried. Her mother had never spoken like this for as long as she could remember. There was an intensity to Athena's gaze that her daughter had never seen before as she gripped the railing with one hand, steadying herself and then Annabeth's chin. She was too surprised to move. "Never give up on love, you understand me? It's more fulfilling than anything- anything else."_

_"You've always said success earned by the toil of one's own hand is the sweetest reward, Mum," Annabeth said, concerned that maybe someone had slipped something into her mother's drink._

_Athena laughed harshly.  
"That," she drawled. "is because I'm a coward. A coward who can't face her fear and is leading her child onto the same path she traveled. A coward!"  
__She yelled the last part out and Annabeth flinched. Athena swayed dangerously._

_"Um, let's just get you to bed, alright?" she pulled at her mother's arms, stepping up onto the landing.  
__Athena stayed rooted to the spot with a balance a drunken woman shouldn't possess and gripped her arms tightly._

_"Listen to me, Annabeth." she insisted, with an urgency that made Annabeth wary. "Listen to me!"_

_She burped. Then clear gray eyes met her own and Annabeth huffed, stopping for the moment._

_"I was wrong." To her daughter's utter dismay and shock, tears welled in her eyes. She must have had more drinks than initially thought. Or maybe someone did slip something into her drink tonight. "I'm much too old and much too far gone to do anything about it, but you can, sweetheart. You've grown up… to be quite a woman. Both Frederick and I are so proud of you my dear girl."_

_The birthday girl just stood stunned, as her mother smoothed out and tucked a stray strand of blond hair behind her ear. A single tear rolled down her cheek._

_Twenty-eight years she had waited._

_Twenty-eight years, just to hear these words. She hadn't known until that moment, how she'd longed to hear it. And how relieved she was._

_"Success does breed peace. That much is true. But it doesn't- it never...this-" she said, placing a hand on Annabeth's beating heart. "- will never feel whole. I made that mistake with Frederick."_

_Athena smiled ruefully. "And look where that got us."_

_"Mom, I don't think-"_

_"You remember Luke?" her mother interrupted, "He was nice. Why did you ever break up?"_

_Annabeth frowned. "I didn't really have time for him, mom, I was in the process of designing the waterfront in that upstate-"_

_"So it was work." Athena nodded to herself like it was a confirmation of something she knew. "I thought so. It was always that way with me too."_

_"What are you saying? He was a distraction and we weren't working out! It wasn't because of work. I mean sure, he always did say I never had time for him and that may have been one of the reasons- Oh, for the love of- I love what I do, mom! It's more important." she was getting flustered and didn't like it._

_"You can fix this, Annabeth." her mother said, still holding the balustrade for support. "Remember that balance is necessary-" she wobbled._

_"Well, it certainly looks like your balance isn't great, mum," Annabeth whispered, not taking much that the former was drunkenly blabbering about seriously. "You're not yourself. Go to bed."_

_"You don't believe me."_

_She didn't answer as her mother studied her, that intense urgency still hadn't faded.  
__And she left her daughter on the landing as she swept past her and into her bedroom, murmuring the last few words, so Annabeth doubted they were meant for her ears:__  
_

_"You will, Annabeth. You will."_

* * *

"Can I contest the will?" Annabeth asked, deciding that moping came later. Business first.

The attorney perked up, finally enthused at the idea of actual work. She empathized. "Well, yes- but quite frankly, the court wouldn't take you seriously. It's a legal document and you have no grounds to allege-"  
"I could state that she wasn't in the right state of mind or that this is a violation of my rights, don't you think? And quite frankly- archaic and unbelievably ridiculous! Forcing me to-'

"I'm afraid that would be quite futile, miss Chase. As your late mother's attorney and yours, I know that she was of sound mind and arguably one of the smartest, most enterprising minds on the planet. Any argument against her judgment would be met with a very small probability of success."  
Annabeth had surmised as much, but it had been worth a try.  
_Think,_ she told herself, resisting the urge to pace around or chew her nails as she often did when nervous. _Think._

"Alright. So I will have to make a call to my mother's broker. She'll just have to sell it to me. Problem solved."  
And she did so, immediately. The woman on the other end of the line answered in two rings.  
"Miss Chase, good evening. I'm very sorry for your loss. Your mother was a gem among humans. She really did pave the way for a lot of us, you know." Genuine emotion clung to the woman's words. "I miss her already."

"Thank you, Lacey. I...I miss her too." she took a breath and collected herself. "I'm actually calling to ask about the 40% of shares my mother holds. In her will, she's to, uh well, give it to you in three weeks. I was wondering if you could preemptively sell it to me upon the opening of business hours three weeks later?"  
"Um," Lacey said awkwardly, her voice crackling through the receiver. "Actually, I was instructed by Ms. Chase to not sell to you, if they ever came into my possession. I … uh, have a list of buyers she approved, who are ready to snap up the shares if any enter the market."  
When no reply was forthcoming, she continued.: "I'm sorry, Annabeth."  
Annabeth forced the lump in her throat to subside. "It's quite all right, Lacey. You're just...doing your job. Have a great day."  
She hung up before the other woman could reply.

Panic.  
Panic threatened to close in over her head, drowning her in its dark embrace. Gods-dammit she needed a break. And a drink.

"You," she snapped her fingers at the lawyer still awkwardly sitting in her living room. "You can meet me tomorrow at 10 Am sharp. I need you to come to the office."  
"Uh, actually-"  
"Do I look like I care about your excuses, little man?" she snapped at him, not caring how bitchy it made her sound. "You're my attorney aren't you? Now do your goddamn job!"

He nodded, tight-lipped, then placed the will inside his briefcase, picked it up and left her alone.  
"Man, I need a drink," she muttered, running a hand through the bun she'd worn her hair in at the start of the workday. "Or two."

* * *

"No. Freaking. Way." Piper gaped at her, one hand pressed to her chest and the other clutching her margarita like her life depended on it. "She. Did. Not."  
"Yep," Annabeth said, blinking disorientedly. "And I can't do anything about it."

"But what about your shares? Aren't they enough to get you a place on the board?"  
"Nope. I only own a few thousand that amounts to less than 2% of the company." the blonde answered, shaking her head. The world began to spin, so she stopped. "Can't contest the will, can't buy the shares- I can't even get someone else to buy the shares because there's a list of pre-approved people."

"Athena," began Piper, a finger raised. Then she belched. "Yeah, I don't know what I was gonna say. You know what though? I want a banana. Do you want a banana?"  
"Mother's always been two steps ahead. She needs to be, in business. But I guess I just never thought she'd do this. To me."  
Why had Annabeth ever thought drinking would make this better? She couldn't stop ranting about this anyway.

Piper and Annabeth were sitting at Annabeth's kitchen counter, the blender and two bottles of vodka sat on the surface. Lemon peels and packets of Margarita mix lay scattered on it as well. Her immaculate kitchen with the pristine white tiles and granite counter-tops were now a war zone.  
"Why, though?" Piper asked, now rummaging around in the pantry, in her search for bananas. "Why would she want you to get married? Her marriage didn't exactly succeed."

"Yeah." Annabeth massaged her temples. She was going to have a killer hangover the next day, but thankfully it was a Friday. Fridays started late.  
"I remember this drunk one-sided conversation she had with me last year. She was going on about how family is important and that I'd feel...empty or something if I followed the path she did."  
"Whaaaaat? She was hella successful!"

"Yeah, exactly- but not in the family department." A dull throbbing grew in the base of her skull and she sighed. "I mean- I guess she's right, but why would she do this? It's not like I'm never gonna find love. I probably will- _someday_. Forcing me to marry someone… what was she thinking?"

"Found it!" Piper emerged, banana held in her triumphant fist. "Okay, so let's throw this at the dartboard and see if we score! Ooh- maybe it can work as a boomerang!"

* * *

Percy had to admit that in thirteen weeks, he had grown a little attached to the tiny redheaded spitfire. Never having had siblings, he had never been quite adept at handling children, but he supposed Rachel didn't quite behave like the average seven-year-old.  
They'd unknowingly set a routine that would seamlessly fall into place: each Thursday evening, she would be sitting on the bench, he'd walk into the cafe on his way back home from work, and walk back out with a latte and a hot chocolate and sit with her. And they'd talk.

Which is why it was concerning when for the first time in thirteen weeks, the bench across the cafe was empty.

He frowned, reasoning that she may have been late, or her father had finally started paying enough attention to realize his daughter was sneaking off, or an innumerable number of other reasons. But he couldn't shake off the feeling that something had gone wrong. Nevertheless, he paid for his coffee and her usual, deciding to wait for her.

Ten minutes. Fifteen. Half an hour.  
His gut twisted and he dumped his now-cold and untouched cup of coffee into the trash. The marshmallows in her hot chocolate had become lumpy dough bags. He sighed and dropped it into the trash as well.

"Percy."

He whirled around, startled.

And there she was.

"Hey, you." he grinned at her. "You're late! I just-you know what, never mind, we'll get you another from the cafe-"  
He broke off. Rachel was huddled in a hoodie that seemed two sizes too big for her and she clutched a tiny backpack to her chest, glancing around them as though searching for something and she was breathing heavily. He might have even overlooked these as excitement or exertion if it hadn't been for the frantic look in her red-rimmed eyes.

"Hey," he crouched down by her. "What's-what's wrong?"  
She inhaled deeply and looked at him again.

"I'm so sorry." she began. "But would it be too much trouble to ask you to take me to the nearest police station?"

* * *

The detective with the toothpick in his mouth held out his hand. He had the body of a WWE Wrestler but it contrasted with the dimple in his cheek and his baby features.  
"You must be Percy Jackson."  
"Uh, yes. That-that is me." Percy stood, awkwardly grasping the proffered hand and stretching his shoulder muscles, sore from sitting in nearly the same position for two hours.  
"Please," the man gestured to his desk. "Take a seat."

Percy awkwardly shuffled back into the same seat, resigning himself to another few hours of an aching butt.  
"I'm Detective Zhang. I'm in charge of this investigation."  
"Right." he nodded.  
"So, what is your relationship with the girl- Rachel?" Detective Zhang flicked open his notepad and looked expectantly at Percy.  
Percy cleared his throat. "Um, well- uh… it's well, we're ...friends..?"

Zhang's eyebrows rose. "You're friends? With-" he glanced down at his notes. "-an eight-year-old?"  
Percy chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "It's strange, I know. But we met about two-three months ago and-well, it- I really don't know how to explain."  
The detective's eyes narrowed. "I'm going to need a lot more than-"

"Percy?" a familiar voice called.

Percy turned, lips parting in surprise as he located the speaker.  
"Reyna?" he stood, smiling. "I didn't know you were in this precinct."  
Reyna Ramirez-Arellano grinned as she stalked towards him, hands in her pockets. "You're looking at Lieutenant Ramirez-Arellano of the 81st precinct."  
They hugged and Detective Zhang's toothpick fell out of his mouth. His superior was hardly one for physical affection.  
"Why are you here, anyway?"  
"Uh, well-"  
"Lieutenant, he brought Rachel Dare here. He says they're friends." interrupted Detective Zhang.  
Reyna's brows rose.

"_You_ brought her in?" she turned to Percy. He shrugged.  
"I don't know why she wanted to come here, honestly- I don't even know what's going on and they won't tell me." he huffed, frustrated. "What is going on? Why is Rachel even here?"  
"You don't know?" Reyna asked, seeming surprised.  
"Know what?" he was starting to get seriously annoyed.  
"Your-uh- friend, Rachel." the detective began. "She says she has information on Wyatt Dare."  
"Wyatt Dare?" Percy's eyes were wide. "Wyatt Dare, the real estate mogul and owner of Dare enterprises?"

"She says she's his daughter," Reyna said.  
"And that's just a front for what he really does." detective Zhang said, brows furrowed like it was incomprehensible that Percy didn't know this. "We've been after him for nearly a decade."  
"After him? Why, what'd he do?"

"Percy." Reyna's gaze was intense, as it always was. "He's a well-known gang leader and international arms dealer."  
Percy's mind was reeling.  
"And," Reyna continued, picking up the manila folder on Zhang's desk. "If what she's saying is true, then he also just killed his wife."

* * *

**Let me know what you think, in the comments!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! **

***Ducks when the stone-throwing begins***

**Sorry! I've always had a problem with continuity and... well, I wish I could say differently, but I'm never gonna be able to update regularly. I'm really sorry., but apparently my writing abilities can't be summoned at will.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. "- **Martin Luther King Jr.**_

* * *

"That-that doesn't make sense, she said her mother was dead already. And that was the first day I met her." Percy frowned.

Reyna shrugged.

"Well, as far as we know, Mrs. Dare was never reported dead- until now, that is." Detective Zhang said, brows raised. "We need to talk to the kid again."

"Can I see her?" Percy asked, stretching a sore arm behind his back. "I need to see she's doing okay."

Reyna shrugged. "I don't see why not."

He followed her down a short corridor and through a door, into what he assumed was the break room. It was surprisingly cozy, with a single-window and a small counter against the sidewall. There was a black coffee maker on the counter, and a mini-refrigerator tucked under it. A large weathered sofa stood against the far wall, a coffee table before it, it's polished wood marred by heat marks and several chairs were scattered across the room.

Rachel was curled up on a blue couch, red hair fanned across the worn material. Her tiny chest rising and falling with her slow breaths, one hand rested under her head, the other draped over her torso. Someone had covered her with a coat that was too big for her and she looked like a miniature sleeping beauty.

"She looks peaceful." Percy sighed, sliding his hands into his jacket's pockets, leaning against the doorjamb. Reyna hummed in agreement. They just stood at the door, watching her, until Percy realized it was kinda creepy. He cleared his throat. "So, um- what happens to her, now?"  
The Lieutenant shrugged. "What happens to any kid in the system, I guess. She's young, but I've seen younger fall into..."

Reyna said something about making sure the kid got a good home, but Percy wasn't listening anymore.

When he had been around five years old, his mother had married a man she had met at her job in a candy store, Gabe Ugliano. Or 'Smelly Gabe', as Percy referred to him in his head. He was a portly man, with thinning hair(on his head, but gorilla-like sprouts of it everywhere else), large ears and a bulbous nose. Percy's memories of the years that came after only consisted of him in a perpetual drunken state, beer stains on his teeth, scratching his overgrown beard and ordering Sally Jackson around, or playing poker with his buddies, a haze of cigarette smoke obscuring the living room. And he remembered the constant barrage of debt that Gabe had piled up, the bleakness in his mother's eyes, the sagging of her clothing as she lost weight, the brittle smiles that got easier to see through- until the debtors waited no more, and broke down the front door.

His mind shied away from the violence he'd encountered that day: the guns, the threats, Gabe's pleading, Sally's arms as they hugged him to her chest, the gunshots, the sirens, the hospital... he had almost lost his mother that day.

Percy remembered the children's homes, the two foster homes he'd been a part of- however brief the time had been- the days spent hiding in the closet so the older kids wouldn't give another black eye to match the one he already sported... It had been a nightmare, one he had never wanted to return to. He'd missed his mother fiercely in that year and that kind of pain and loneliness... He looked at the doll-like figure, now drooling on the couch. Rachel's tiny giggle echoed through his memories, the creative, free spirit that the girl was- he knew she would blossom into a wonderful, talented, strong woman if given the chance and he wouldn't-_couldn't _let that happen to her.

Rachel was warm and kind and innocent- The words burst out of him before he realized. "I'll take her!"

* * *

"I'm afraid that isn't possible, ma'am." The lawyer peered at her through his glasses. "Your mother even specified the amount of time that you were required to be married. A year and a day or more, remember?"  
Annabeth paced around her office, the anger, and the _panic_ mounting.  
"No." she ran a hand through her hair. "No, there's _got _to be a way."  
"You could just treat the marriage as a contract, you know," the man sighed. "It's quite legal."  
"Not getting married, dude. Get over it."

"Fine, then. You just bide your time." he got up, shuffling the papers on her desk, placing them in his briefcase. "I'm sure there are others who'd sell their shares to you. I'm sure in a month's time, you'll have at least a three-point-five percent more and that-"

"-Is not enough." Annabeth finished, flopping down into her chair, and it rolled back from her desk. "You don't understand... We had a plan. We were gonna make the company private."  
The lawyer paused, mid-shuffle, surprised. "Mrs. Chase never discussed this with me."

"It was a rough plan, we'd barely put anything down on paper... that's why- I don't get _why_ she would- she knows how important-"  
A knock on the door interrupted her.  
Piper poked her head in. "Beth, you gotta do something fast. Hera's giving everyone cupcakes."

"Oh, freaking wonderful," Annabeth grumbled into her palms.  
Then she peeked at Piper through her fingers. "Are any of them chocolate?"

* * *

"So, the first step is ensuring you are elected the interim CEO. Then, you acquire more shares, until eventually privatize the company and... happy ever after, right?"  
Piper summarised succinctly. Annabeth nodded. Then shrugged. "But it's not quite that simple?" The former guessed. Annabeth nodded again.

"Hey," Jason, who had been quiet up till now, raised his head. "Why don't you just get a contract marriage and call it a day?

"Jason." Annabeth groaned. This was the third time today she'd been told to_ just get married already_ like she was some immature, stubborn child.  
"You just don't get it, do you? Why-" she spread her hands, color flooding her cheeks, "-do I have to marry someone to make something of myself? I can't even accomplish _this_ without a man?! It feels like yet another patriarchal vice- now enforced by my own mother!"

"You know that's not why she did it," Piper said.  
"Well- yeah, but that doesn't make me feel any better!"

"It's not just that though, is it?"  
Annabeth inhaled deeply, then puffed it out in a short exhale.

"No."  
While she hated the very principle of the clause in her mother's will, she was also practical and knew that if push came to shove- as it seemed to have- she would choose her mother's life's work, that would soon be hers, and the company, over any personal qualms. She turned over the papers the lawyer had left behind, studying her mother's will for any loophole, any twist- finding none.  
"I'm not dating anyone right now. And I can't marry someone that I can't trust. Can you imagine how badly it would go if anyone from the media-or even the board- learned what I had to do to earn my stake in the company?"

They'd laugh at her incompetence, at what seemed like her mother's lack of faith in her, the deceit that earned her place... she could only too well, imagine the utter glee on Hera's face if she ever found out.

The other two didn't reply. They knew where she stood. Just like she did.  
The intercom buzzed and Drew's voice sounded from the speaker on Annabeth's desk, near her nameplate. Her official title so far had been deputy designer-in-chief, but it had always been more of an all-inclusive internship in the company- the financial, management and other aspects of it as well as the creative- and it had been understood that she would take over one day. In the wake of Athena's unpredicted demise, best-laid plans were put to the test.

"Chase, the Board meeting begins in five minutes. And I've put the counter-offer that Atlantis Holdings initiated on your desk. The briefing is at noon, tomorrow."

"I'll be right there," Annabeth said, wiping her sweaty palms over her trousers, even though she knew Drew couldn't hear her unless she pressed the speaker button.  
"What are you telling the board?" Jason asked, looking up from where his fingers intertwined with Piper's. (Annabeth almost rolled her eyes, they were so sickeningly in love, gah.)  
"I'm telling them the truth," she said, swinging her door open, one foot out. "That there is no one else for Athena Design and Co. but _me_. And I will get those shares."

The moment she closed the door, Jason turned to Piper. "Should we wait until tomorrow, at least?""Longer than that, Jason," she sighed, worried. "She's... not taking things well- she hasn't even had time to cope with Athena's death. We should wait some more."  
He simply nodded and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, stroking her bare ring finger.

Annabeth didn't encounter anyone until she walked into conference room C, and it appeared they were all there... except Hera. Well, of course, she shouldn't have expected anything but such cheap power-play tactics from her. Annabeth smiled at all those present and decided- there was no reason she shouldn't turn the whole charade around on Hera- she delighted in the very concept. She rose from the seat she had taken- at the head.

"Well, I'd like to start this meeting by expressing my gratitude to all of you- for being so understanding in this time of grief. I have-"

The door to the room opened, and in came Hera, whose delicate brows rose, when she saw all board members seated. Her hand fluttered to her throat.  
"Has it started already? Dear me."

And that was it. She plonked herself into the only available seat, no apology. Annabeth supposed that was all one could expect from her, anyway- Hera had most probably expected them to wait for her.  
Before she could continue with the rest of her speech, director Dionysus (one of the many on Hera's side) interrupted- "Ms. Chase, have you acquired your mother's shares yet? I do not mean to be disrespectful, but it is prudent that you do- if you wish for a position at the board."

She didn't need to be reminded, but of course, he would say that to undermine her, to instill doubt in her very right to be in this room, much less head them all.

She met his gaze, and then the rest of their expectant ones, thinking of the sheaf of papers on her desk, the proffered marriage contract the lawyer had drawn up for her despite her refusal, the numbers glaring at her from her own meticulous calculations- she wouldn't win this round. And if she lost this battle, she lost the war. Desperate time, desperate measures.

"Yes," she said, with a pinched smile, nails digging into her palms. "You can rest assured, I will have them soon enough. Due process."

This seemed to suffice, and they moved on to the newer, major projects that were ongoing, and the decline of the company's shares. She tensed up at that, paranoid that someone would figure out her plan. Her purchases, although discreet, could be easily tracked. She had been buying the shares at open market, and she supposed the side effect of that would be the price's stabilization. Privatization of a company as widely invested in by the directors, as Athena's, would not be an easy process. However, this was only phase _one_ of the plan, so she didn't have cause for worry. As a realist, though, she knew a bomb could drop at any moment. Hence the vigilance.  
Throughout the meeting, she felt the malicious intent of Hera and her minions' stares and pointed comments that usually subtly hinted at her age, her vulnerabilities and her stomach sank.  
_Goddammit,_ she thought._ I need to call that damned lawyer._

* * *

Reyna broke off, startled at his abrupt interruption, eyebrows rising.  
"You'll _what_, now?"

Percy waited for immediate regret. He didn't feel it. Only a frenzy of nervousness, coupled with determination. Already, he was trying to rearrange his life with her in it: he was calculating the risks, rescheduling his projects, reorganizing his guest bedroom. He marveled at the simplicity of his choice; he was only twenty-eight, he had a great job and a somewhat busy life- when had he ever had time to consider a kid? And yet, he could picture it quite easily.  
"I'll take her. She doesn't need to be put in the system- I can take her."

A bit of worry worked its way into the growing confusion in Reyna's expression. "Percy, it doesn't work that way- she still needs to go into the system, even if you're willing to uh, adopt her. Besides, her father has every legal right to take her and we are yet to confirm any of what she just said. And if she does have evidence, she'll be a witness in one of the most high-profile cases the NYPD has ever worked on- so that's further WITPRO complexities. And _that's_ assuming the Feds don't put up a fight to take it from us."

"I-I know," he was not an ignorant, naive fool and he thought through the possibilities. "She have a social worker yet?"  
He nodded toward the bundle of snores at the other end of the room.

"A Mrs. Dodds has been assigned. She'll come here tomorrow, I think." It had been decided the girl would spend the night at the station, watched over by the cops.

"Okay," Percy said, his voice resolute. "I'm staying too."

She shook her head at his extraordinary brand of stubborn absurdity. "Percy, this is a police station. You can't just-"

"Percy?" A small voice interrupted and the duo whirled around, to see Rachel rubbing the sleep from her eyes, her red hair a messy halo around her head.  
His smile was instant and relieved.  
"Hey, kid." he was at her side in a blink. He crouched by the sofa and ruffled her hair affectionately. "How're you feeling?"

Rachel yawned. "Tired. Bit hungry."

"You want me to get you something? Burger? Tacos? I know I could do with a pizza."  
Reyna watched as she smiled, a shy, hesitant smile like she couldn't believe he wasn't pushing her for answers, the way the other adults had. "Pizza sounds nice."

"Alrighty." His phone was out and he dialed fast, pressing it to his ear, winking at her. A few beats later, he offered it to her. "Whatever you want, kid. Pepperoni? Tomato? Or-" He gave a little mock shudder. "-Pineapple?"

"Gross." Rachel giggled. "Pepperoni and olives."  
"Well, aren't we a match made in heaven."

Then he grinned at her, eyes alight with warmth and Reyna felt like she was intruding on a private moment. She made a vague gesture and mumbled something about getting back to work, which she doubted either of them cared about and left to resume her duties. When she returned, ninety minutes later, ready to escort Percy out of the station and check on the kid, she stopped, something twisting in her chest. An empty pizza box lay open on the low table and the lights were still on.

And she found the two of them- Percy, with one arm around her shoulders as they snored in synchronous harmony. As she watched, the girl snuggled closer into Percy, pulling his jacket closer around her shoulders. It was clear she felt safe around him.

_Damn it all,_ she thought. Now she certainly couldn't bring herself to make him leave.

* * *

The next morning, Annabeth was pacing again.

"I don't know, Mr. Grace," the lawyer said, in response to some question Jason had asked and he seemed pretty exasperated with Annabeth's agitation (he called it hyperventilation). She suddenly realized she'd forgotten his name. He was just 'The lawyer' in her head. Well, it would be rude to ask now, so she resolved to ask Drew for his name. Surely she had some secretary files that had his name on it. Piper asked her something, which jolted her back into the conversation.  
"Hm?" she asked, dazedly, as though she wasn't regretting every single thing ever. Technically, she knew she hadn't exactly failed, in anything- she was a hard worker, she knew what was right and wrong and she was smart. An unfortunate sequence of events didn't make her incompetent.  
But logically explaining this to herself in her head, didn't stop the rush of self-loathing and grief and fear that welled in a bottomless pit inside her. Her mother was dead, and here she was, undoing her legacy.  
Piper also looked exasperated, which didn't bode well for Annabeth, by any means. "I asked, who? Who are you gonna marry now?"

Annabeth had a sudden brilliant revelation.

"I could marry _you_!" Sudden sweet and wonderful relief filled her veins and she laughed in incredulous delight. "Piper, this is brilliant! I could just marry you- my mother didn't specify that I had to marry a _man_, right?"  
The other three occupants of the room- Piper, Jason, and the lawyer- stared at her in a collage of incomprehension, discomfort, and surprise.  
"What?" she felt like she was missing something.  
"Uh, Beth..." Piper scratched the back of her neck, her face slightly red. She glanced at Jason, bit her lip. "We were going to tell you, but.."

"We're engaged!" Jason announced, beaming like he couldn't help blurting it out.  
A brief moment of confused silence, then surprised delight (and a pang of disappointment, which she buried) suffused her- "Oh my god, Piper!" She opened her arms and Piper flew right into them. "What the hell! You should've told me!"

Their brief moment of awkwardness had collapsed and Piper fished out her simple cut engagement ring from her pocket. It was gold, with three- were those diamonds?- jewels in a three-petaled flower. Perfect for Piper.  
"I couldn't have worn it without you noticing, so I just-"  
"Why the hell didn't you tell me? I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Well, you were just so preoccupied and- _now_ I know _you_ want to marry me so-"  
Annabeth elbowed her friend, snickering. "Oh, shut up."  
She _was_ happy for her. "You guys, this is so great! Congratulations!"

Jason's wide smile was cutting into his cheeks and he shrugged. "Sorry, Annabeth. I got to her first."  
They all laughed, (the lawyer was awkwardly trying to escape into the background) and for a moment, everything was right.

Then Jason's phone rang, and his eyebrows lifted as he saw his screen. He made a vague gesture toward the corridor and pulled the door open, placing the phone at his ear. "Hi. Wow, is the world ending?-" she heard before the door closed behind him, and then reality resumed. The realization that she was going to have to pretend to be married to someone for a whole goddamned year- _and a day_, her brain reminded her- and she sighed, rubbing at her eyes, tired all of a sudden.  
Screw this. She was going home and she was going to sleep. She'd figure out her next the move in the morning with a freshly brewed cup of caffeine.

"Thank you," she said, turning to the lawyer, who looked a bit surprised. "We'll talk tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll have a plan by then."  
The man just nodded, picked up his briefcase-which seemed to be a permanent ornament for him- and left, the door clicking closed softly behind him.  
Jason nearly bumped into him as he rushed back in. "Um, Pipes, honey- I need to go to the 81st precinct. Percy's in trouble. So I just-"  
"Oh." Piper looked concerned. "Why is he in a police station? Is he okay?"

"Yeah, Reyna called-"

Annabeth had no idea who they were talking about and she didn't care. Turning back from the two of them, she absently flipped through the details of the Atlantis Holdings collaboration project. The two of them, oblivious to her sudden withdrawal, continued their conversation about someone she didn't know and she tried to accept that her friends wouldn't totally be the same anymore. A bitter pill to swallow, but what was one more, when she'd already taken so many the past few days? So many responsibilities were stacked on her shoulders precariously. She knew her mother's absence was yet to hit her completely, and the grief hovered like a storm waiting to hit.  
She just hoped that when it did, it wouldn't bring everything crashing down with her.

* * *

When Percy woke, he was instantly uncomfortable. His neck was aching like a bitch and rested at a weird angle, his arm was numb and the residual taste of garlic lingered in his mouth. He groaned a bit, stretching his neck and reaching back with his non-numb arm to massage it.  
Then he realized where he was. Rachel, the police station, pizza- he sat up dizzily, realizing his arm was numb because Rachel was on it. Not wanting to wake her, he shifted slowly, drawing his arm out from under her. He stood and stretched, as Detective Zhang walked into the break room, not looking the slightest bit surprised to see him there.  
"Oh," he said. "You're up."

"Uh, yeah," Percy yawned.

"Your friend's here to pick you up." he intoned, stirring his newly made cup of coffee. Friend? Which friend?  
"Percy, you complete idiot! What the heck?"  
Said complete idiot looked up to find his cousin glaring at him from the doorway. Oh. The surprised delight was followed by confusion.  
"Hey Jason." he grinned at the blond, not having seen him in a while. "What are you doing here?"

Jason's glare didn't ease up. "I get a call from Reyna- who, by the way, has _never_ called me- and what do I hear? My cousin spent the night in a police station."

Percy grimaced as he cricked his neck, shaking off the numbness in his limbs. "Well, at least I didn't spend it in the slammer."

Jason thrust a styrofoam cup of coffee at him. "Here," he eyed the coffee machine in the break room with a wariness. "I thought you'd need this."

"Thanks, bro."

"So, why the heck are you here-" Jason broke off, startled, just realizing there was a little girl on the couch behind his cousin. "Um, who's that?"

Percy slurped his coffee, grateful for the caffeine, glancing down at her sleeping form. "Meet my soon-to-be ward, Rachel."

Jason stared at him, uncomprehendingly. His face was like the wheel of fortune- spiraling through the range of emotions- from befuddled, to incredulous, to worried and back to confused. "_What_?" he squeaked.

As briefly as possible, he explained his situation to Jason. Jason's expression grew more and more skeptical as the story progressed.  
"Percy-" he began, once he was done, then bit his lip. "this... this isn't a good idea. I'm not even gonna pretend to understand everything this kid's been through- but not only would you be adopting a child- you're also going to have to take into account that her father is a freaking mob boss."  
"He's not a _mob_ boss, Jason-"

"He is."  
Jason let out a startled yelp and pressed a hand against his mouth, eyes regretful. They turned to find Rachel, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, her frizzy red hair a rat's nest. "Oh, um, hi."

"It's okay, I know what grown-ups think of my dad." Rachel said solemnly, her eyes far too serious for a seven-year-old. "And I know he's a bad man."  
"Oh, kid," Percy sighed, crouching (not before throwing a glare over his shoulder at his shmuck of a cousin) at her side. "you don't have to talk about it."

Rachel shook her bed head. "I know," she said quietly. "But I also know that if I don't, many bad people will get away with bad things. And my Mom always told me to remember that bad wins when good people do nothing."  
The two adults were at a loss for words.

Her green eyes were wide and tearful, filled with the anguish a child shouldn't have experienced.  
"Can you stay with me when I answer the cops' questions?" she asked Percy. His throat was constricted, so he settled for a jerky nod.  
He cleared his throat. "Sure, Rach."

"You must be Mr. Jackson." The three of them jumped as an unfamiliar voice interrupted their moment.

A short, mousy-looking woman stepped out from behind Jason. Clad in a drab, loose sweater and pinstriped skirt, with a huge handbag hanging off her arm, she would've looked homely and warm, if not for the utterly contemptuous curl of her lip and the disdain in her eyes, betraying her desire to be anywhere but here.  
"My name is Alecto Dodds," she intoned, nasally. "and I am Rachel Dare's social worker."

"Oh." Percy would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed in these turn of events. He'd been hoping to find an impressionable social worker who would have wanted best for the kid, but instead, he'd gotten a bitter old lady who seemed to hate his guts before he'd even met her. Although to be fair, she looked like she hated everyone. He held out a hand politely. "You already know me, I'm Percy. I don't suppose the Lieutenant mentioned that I wanted to adopt Rachel, did she?"  
Mrs. Dodds hummed noncommittally, eyes falling on the child, who was now frowning at her.  
"Miss Dare," she called in her nasal voice. "Are you feeling well enough to answer questions, honey?"

Rachel wrinkled her nose at the endearment, looking to Percy for direction. He shrugged, a small smile tugging his lips. She sighed, before turning to the woman.  
"Yeah, sure."

In the blink of an eye, Mrs. Dodds had a clipboard and a pen poised over it. Without even caring about the other occupants of the room, or glancing at the child being questioned, she launched into her monotonous dictation of the questionnaire, with Rachel answering hesitantly every ten seconds. Somewhere around question twenty-five- yes, _twenty-five_\- Rachel jerked back as though slapped, panic flaring in her eyes.  
"No!" she cried. "No, please don't send me back to him!"

Percy was alarmed and immediately grasped her arms. "Kid, no one's taking you back if you don't want to go, okay? Shh, calm down." He rubbed her shoulder, glancing back at a very worried Jason. Rachel was trembling in his arms.  
"Uh, Mrs. Dodds," he began, unsure of exactly what to say. "the kid's been through enough questioning- the cops will have more questions for her too. Don't you think its time to consider what's best for her?"

The woman looked barely perturbed by Rachel's outburst- really, _why_ was this _she-demon_ working for the social services?- and merely pursed her lips. "and you suppose _you're_ what's best for her, Mr. Jackson?"

"I...," he definitely didn't think he was _best_ for her-

"Yes," Rachel's voice was muffled against his shirt, but clear enough. "I don't want to go anywhere else."

Her wet eyes met the brown of her social worker.  
"I want to go with Percy," she said, voice quivering with the determination of a seven-year-old.  
Although he knew the choice wouldn't ultimately lie with her, he couldn't help but feel heartened at the thought that she felt safe with him. Warmth exploded in his chest. He may not be the_ best_ for her, in terms of what he could provide- but at least he would_ care_. Which was more than could be said of her damned social worker. Jason looked touched, staring at the two of them, a small smile curving his mouth.

The demon lady was far less impressed, her sour expression souring further. "It's not entirely up to me, sweetness. This is a complicated case, and the law enforcement will no doubt want to isolate you in some Witness Protection safe house, so-"

Rachel's panic returned, and she turned to Percy, gripping his arms, shaking. "Please, Percy. I don't wanna go- my Dad will find me, I-"

Percy hugged her to his chest, no longer able to hold in his glare at the lady across from him. His hand came up to brush her hair back, rubbing her hair soothingly. "What kind of a social worker _are_ you?" he growled, ignoring his cousin gesturing at him to calm down, from behind her back.  
Mrs. Dodds didn't seem entirely bothered by this either, which was good, but also not good- because how many times had she heard this that she was now impervious to it? Fortunately, any response that the old hag may have given was interrupted by Reyna, Detective Zhang and another man that Percy hadn't met. Reyna did not look happy. In fact, she looked downright disgruntled.  
"So," she said, after nodding at Jason and offering a tight-lipped smile to Alecto Dodds. "Guess what? Barely a few hours in, and the Feds already got our case."

Her eyes smoldered with indignance.  
"Oh," Jason said, eyes flitting to Percy's, relieved upon finding the same awkwardness there. They both had no idea what to say. "That sucks."

"This is US Marshall Nico di Angelo," Zhang introduced the other man, who was tall and lean, olive-skinned, with a sweep of dark hair curling at his temples.  
"Not a Marshall, Frank- not that old yet." his voice was quiet but confident, and Percy liked him immediately. "I'm just here to assess the situation if you will."  
_Double awkward,_ Percy thought, glancing at his cousin once more. What exactly did 'assessing the situation' entail?  
"Um," he began, wondering if he was maybe being a bit too idealistic and optimistic about everything. "Question: Will Rachel be safe here in New York with me?"  
No matter how much he wanted to take care of her, if she wasn't safe in New York, he wouldn't risk it. She had to go somewhere she'd be safe.  
Nico's dark eyes swept over the lot of them, resting on Percy's protective arm around Rachel's shoulders and the way she leaned into him. His eyes followed his hand, up to his face.  
"Yes," he said, after a long pause, something unnervingly akin to calculation glittering in his eyes. "Hiding her in the same city, when her father would expect her to be moved far away... it _could _prove a promising goose chase."

Even Reyna looked a tad bit impressed at that. "Huh," she said, "you're right. He'd never guess she would be here, right under his nose."  
Relief fluttered in Percy's chest. "So.. I can take her?"  
Nico turned to Mrs. Dodds. "You're the social worker, yes?" he asked, and she nodded. "What do you think?"

Percy's stomach sank.  
"Well," she began, "there are many families who'd love to take the child in, and single men aren't really high on the roster-"

"I don't see how my marital status has anything to do with-"  
"Mr. Jackson, you need to understand that the child will have many needs-"  
"I'm right here," Rachel muttered, which everyone ignored.  
"-especially considering everything she's been through. A married couple would be better equipped-"

Jason interrupted in a yelp, as though he himself was shocked at the suggestion.  
"_Percy's getting married!_"

* * *

**Bad-da-bing, Ba-da-boom. **  
**Now the Stage has been set. What do you think? Leave a Review or PM me to let me know! Thank you so much for your support! :D**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone! I hope you're all safe and healthy- please do wash your hands and follow basic hygiene. Also, if you're a non-vegetarian, maybe consider becoming a vegetarian? (I'm kidding, don't kill me)  
I'm sorry that I updated much later than I said I would update- I kept feeling like this chapter was not good enough, and I still feel that. **

**Also, I asked if y'all wanted Percabeth to meet through Jason, or professionally and I got mixed reviews, so I kind of did both. Maybe that's why I don't like it. Ugh, I don't know. ****  
I don't think this is my best and I feel something is missing, but I just figured I could just get it done with, instead of procrastinating.**

**Stay safe everyone!**

* * *

_"I am a lover of words and tragically beautiful things, poor timing and longing, and all things with soul, and I wonder if that means I am entirely broken, or if those are the things that have been keeping me whole."_

_~ Nicole Lyons_

* * *

_ Previously:  
__Jason interrupted in a yelp, as though he himself was shocked at the suggestion."Percy's getting married!"_

**Chapter 3**

**One hour ago**

It was far too early in the morning to function without decent coffee.  
Thalia glared at her steaming styrofoam cup of the diluted garbage that the office administrator dared to call coffee.

"You'd think that the freaking _FBI_ would invest in some above-average caffeine," she grumbled, shuffling away from the break room, still groggy from the all-nighter she'd pulled. She was almost beginning to believe the overtime was not worth it.

"Special Agent Grace!" Michael Yew from Counter-Intelligence called out. "She's looking for you!"  
Thalia cursed, dumping her shitty coffee into the nearest trash can, smoothing out the lines on her shirt.

"Do I look like I slept here?" she asked, tucking a choppy lock of dark hair behind her ear. "How do I look?"

Michael scrutinised her, one eye narrowed in an exaggerated inspection, then cocked an eyebrow at her. "You want the truth or a confidence-boost?"  
"Screw you, _Mike_," she rolled her eyes, shoving past him, anticipating his usual lament at the nickname.  
"Don't call me that!" he yelled, as expected and she chuckled, shaking her head, flipping him the bird behind her back.

She knocked- two, precise knocks, as instructed by the woman behind the door, several times in the past- and waited.  
"Come in." As she walked in, closing the door softly behind her, she smiled to herself at the sight of the most powerful woman she'd ever met.

The woman seated at the desk didn't look up from the folder of paperwork she was currently skimming, glasses trained on the print.  
"How is the Dare case coming along?"

Executive deputy chief for the Criminal Investigative Division of the FBI, Artemis Leto had the kind of voice that was filled with quiet command. Thalia had no idea if the woman spoke softly, to use it as a power move, or simply had that kind of voice, but it served its purpose: everyone was extremely intimidated by her. She held herself like royalty- so most of the employees at the Manhattan branch had taken to referring to her as 'The Lady'.

_The woman is a five-foot redhead and __everyone is__ petrified of her, _Thalia sighed to herself admiringly.

"Not great. I made a breakthrough with one of Dare enterprises' clients- he wasn't a legitimate client- but he's disappeared, gone off the grid. I won't be surprised if he was scared into hiding by Dare's people."

Artemis removed her wire-framed glasses, not a red strand of hair out of place, and looked up at Thalia, hands folded calmly on the table.  
"You're in luck," she said simply, "Wyatt Dare's daughter showed up last night in Manhattan, claiming she just saw him murder her mother."

For a moment, the dark-haired Agent stared at her superior in dumb shock.  
"You're kidding."  
Artemis spared her the smallest quirk of her lips. "No, I'm not."  
_Wow._ Thoughts were springing like sparks from a firework in her brain. "WITPRO?" she asked.

"Your friend Nico di Angelo's the deputy Marshall in charge. I want you to work with the NYPD if you need to- okay, Grace? I know we don't have the best relationship with them, but we've got to give them _something_. Cooperate." Artemis's gray-silver eyes were distractingly clever. "Understood?"  
"Yes, ma'am."  
"I assume you know what to do?"  
"Oh, yes," Thalia grinned, the exhaustion and crankiness from the lack of coffee melting away. "I know what to do."

* * *

Nico was caught in the everyday New York traffic when he got the call.  
He spared a glance at his cab driver- the man's mustache was quivering as he shook his fist and yelled out the window at another cabbie- and deemed him sufficiently preoccupied before picking up.  
"Yeah, shitface, I know this is your case- I was going to call you after-"

"Well, hello to you too, death breath- is that how you answer the phone?" Thalia was always in the mood for a game of who's-got-the-most-creative-insult.  
"For you? _Always_."  
Her snort echoed through the line. "Listen, I can't drop by the precinct to get the case files until they officially sign over the case to us- and that probably won't happen for another hour. Where's the kid?"

"Uh," Nico glanced out the window, at the never-ending queue of cars up the block. "Yeah, she's at the precinct, with the guy who came and dropped her off, apparently. I'll update you once I get there. It's gonna take a while."  
"Wait, who dropped her off?"  
"Some Peter- or, wait," he glanced at the name he'd scrawled onto his notepad. "Percy Jackson."

Uncharacteristic silence.  
"Did you say _Percy Jackson_?" Thalia seemed shocked, if her high-pitched tone of incredulity was any indication.  
"Yeah, why?"  
"The moron's my cousin!"  
Now it was Nico's turn to pause. "You're kidding!"

"How is_ he_ involved?"

"I don't know yet, Thalia, it's _your _job to find out," Nico retorted. "What's your cousin like? Can I trust him?"  
"He's a goofy idiot and too nice if you ask me, but you can trust him." Thalia still sounded confused. "Wait, what the heck kinda trouble is he getting himself into? How does he even know this girl?"

Nico figured his morning had just gotten a lot more interesting.  
He shoved a twenty into the cabbie's hands and got out of the car, deciding to walk the three blocks remaining- it would be faster, anyway.  
"I have no idea," he said, dodging bikers and pedestrians. "But I'll let you know when I find out."

* * *

**The Present **

Percy fought to keep the shock at bay as he stared at his cousin in growing horror.  
Lying to the woman would only get him _further_ away from adopting Rachel, what the heck was he doing? He was going to _strangle_ him-

"Is that true, Mr. Jackson?" Nico interjected.

Everyone was staring at him.  
Reyna's eyes were so wide, he could see himself reflected in them.

"Uh," he glanced at Mrs. Dodds' face. She seemed to be assessing him, glancing down at Rachel gripping his arm and looked like she was reconsidering.

He may have been reading her expression wrong, but at that moment he didn't care. He'd take any small sliver of hope. No matter what the social worker said, he knew that there would still be some amount of time that Rachel would spend in a home or with a family she didn't know and couldn't trust.

He raced through the possibilities, considering it: He _could_ pretend to be engaged and then claim they broke up... or, well, he'd figure it out later.  
And besides, if he let her go now, he didn't know if he'd ever see her again.  
"Yes. Yes, I am. Engaged, yep."  
He hoped he hadn't been too obvious.

"Then why did you look so surprised when Jason said that?" Reyna asked, a suspicious brow rising. Percy floundered for an answer, but Jason swooped in for the rescue, yet again.  
"Well, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone- he wanted to tell his mother first, before anyone else. You know how he is- Mama's boy, through and through!" the two of them shared a bout of nervous laughter. Reyna didn't look very convinced, but the attention shifted to Dodds.  
"And your soon-to-be-wife would be okay with this arrangement?" She asked. "You're not even married yet, and you want a kid?"

"Yes, yep, definitely." his heart was pumping erratically, he could hear his own pulse in his ears. He swallowed. "She loves kids."

Jason nodded vigorously as though to attest to the child-loving nature of his fake fiancé.

Nico di Angelo's lips twitched like he was hiding a very satisfied smile. "Give me a moment, please." he said, pulling out his phone and backing out of the room. Percy wished he could do that. Oh, wait- he could!  
Then Mrs. Dodds considered her clipboard, frowning. She turned to Percy.

"And what's your fiancé's name-"  
"Actually," Percy interrupted. "I was supposed to call her. I will-I'll do that right now. Um, just a minute."  
Without waiting for their acquiescence, grabbed Jason's arm and dragged him to a somewhat secluded corner of the bullpen.

* * *

"Sir, I think we don't have to relocate Rachel. Wyatt Dare would never expect us to leave her under his nose, in Manhattan."  
There was a brief silence from the other side of the call and Nico fidgeted, surprised at his own gall and more so by his concern for the kid. Guess he was a sucker for kids, like everyone else, huh.

"Why?" US Marshall Hades P, and Nico's immediate superior, asked, finally.  
"The FBI Agent in charge of the Dare case-"

"Ah yes, that dratted Grace girl."  
"-she knows the guy that brought Rachel Dare to the precinct: Percy Jackson. She trusts him. And so does Rachel."  
"What are you saying, di Angelo?"  
"I think it's important for the girl to stay with someone she trusts sir. She seems close with this guy- I think we should keep her here- with Jackson."

"And you don't think it's too risky?"

"I think there's a risk, definitely," Nico scratched his chin, glancing over at the young girl's face through the glass partition. She looked lost, eyes flitting back to Percy every now and then. Nico wasn't entirely sure that the story with Percy's so-called fiancé checked out, but it wouldn't matter as long as he had the kid's back.  
"But I think this risk is one that might just be worth it."

Hades seemed to consider this. "Alright." he bit out, "But this is on you."

"Yes sir, understood." Nico felt considerably lighter. "CPS, sir?"  
"I'll take care of it."

* * *

When he turned, Jason raised his hands, as though surrendering, already apologetic.  
"Hey, man-"  
"What the heck, Grace!?" he whisper-yelled, "Not only did I just lie to a social worker, I lied to a US _Marshall_, and the _cops_\- who now think I am to be _married_! This charade is going to fall apart the moment they-"

"It doesn't have to be a charade," Jason said quickly, eyes darting to the side to ensure no one was eavesdropping. Percy was flabbergasted.  
"Dude, _what_ are you saying?".  
"I mean," Jason hesitated, as though thinking things through. He looked... slightly excited even. "Listen, okay? Seriously. I have no idea why you want to get into all this trouble- but I trust you know what you're doing. So you need to trust me when I say this is not just a random whim- I _do_ have a plan, and it's perfect! Two birds with one stone! I have a friend- you've met her, actually, and she needs this too-"

"Wait, hold up." Percy held a hand up, unable to believe the absurd words spilling from Jason's mouth. "Are you actually suggesting that I get married? For _real_?"  
Jason nodded enthusiastically, oblivious to the utter disbelief rippling forth from him. Had the blond fool lost his _mind_?  
"_What._ Is _wrong_. With you?!" Percy knuckled the back of Jason's head and the latter winced, protesting. But before he could retort, Mrs. Dodds interrupted them, from across the bullpen:

"Mr. Jackson!" she called, a phone pressed to her chest, like she'd just gotten a call. The befuddled expression on her face gave him pause. The woman had always looked like she stepped on cat poop. Now, she looked like she was finally portraying an emotion that wasn't condescension or disgust: that had to mean something unexpected had happened.  
"Yes?" he asked, hesitantly, warily.  
She frowned and looked down at her clipboard again.  
"My superior just called," she said, "and he has decided that we can begin the adoption process. I guess they thought you'd make a good fit. Especially with your... fiancé."  
Her tone betrayed her disbelief (which, in all honesty was not unwarranted) and a slight hint of suspicion regarding his fake fiancé. He didn't know if it was a good or a bad thing that this was all happening so fast.

"You can fill in the forms tomorrow, and I will brief you on the process," she sauntered over and handed him a card. _'Alecto Dodds'_ it read in fine print, with the logo of the USA Social services and a phone number, email, etcetera at the bottom. "Call me tomorrow for the address. I hope you'll bring your fiancé?"  
Crap. _Crap, crap, crap_. Damn Jason for getting him into this mess. Damn Alecto Dodds. How in the hell did he get approved that quickly anyway? He couldn't see any other way out of this predicament – and he certainly wasn't going to question miracles.  
"Yep. Sure, I will. She will be coming, don't you worry, ha ha," he choked out weakly, wiping his palms against his legs and taking her card. "Thank you...?"

But despite the jerky panic of the idea of deceiving the government, he felt relief at the idea that Rachel would be safe. And with him! Wow. The last hour barely registered in his brain. He'd walked into this precinct the previous night with a little girl he could barely call his friend, and now he was going to walk out with a ward (well, technically not until tomorrow would she truly be his ward, but these were semantics.) The kid hadn't been her feisty self today and Percy was worried about her. She'd seemed so strong that sometimes he forgot she was only seven-or eight? He wasn't sure- and needed comfort and guidance the way any child did. No wonder she had told him her father wasn't looking for her- he was a mob boss, and the poor thing... what horrors had she seen in her short lifespan?

Mrs. Dodds merely nodded, giving him a brief, suspicious once-over, before turning away. "I'm taking her to the shelter now, so you'd better say your goodbyes." she said over her shoulder.  
That spurred him into action.  
"I'm going to say goodbye to Rachel, and then head for my meeting at noon- but we are _not _done talking about this!" Percy hissed at Jason before starting off behind the demon lady.

* * *

In the wake of all the unbelievable nonsense he'd been sucked into the previous evening and this morning, Percy was slightly relieved but also disappointed to return to his normal, everyday life- if only for a few hours. He was gazing, unfocused at the growing pile of paperwork on his desk, his mind miles away with a child in a sterile room, asked questions by grown-ups who wouldn't be bothered to ask her the one question that really mattered: _Are you okay?_  
He'd hated to leave Rachel in the care of Mrs. Dodds, (who was a Fury from Hell incarnate) but reality hardly checked for his opinion on things, now did it?  
His phone rang, startling him out of his musings.

There was slight static on the other line as he picked up. "Please tell me you've left already." the voice on the other end said.  
He checked his watch.

"It's at noon, right?" he asked his friend and lawyer, Silena Beauregard.  
"Which means you gotta leave now, dumb-ass. It's only a few blocks away, but being early-"  
"-Is how you make a good impression. I know." He shoved his troubled thoughts of his soon-to-be-ward, and a fake fiancé out of his mind, focusing on his new project.

"Did you forget your tie again?"  
"Uh-"  
"You did, didn't you? Honestly, Percy-"  
"It's okay, it's just a tie, Silena, come on."  
"... just be on time."

But even as he donned his coat, grabbing his briefcase and mentally ran through a checklist of whatever he needed for the meeting, Rachel was never far from his thoughts.

* * *

Annabeth rose when the other side entered, four in all: three men and a woman. She immediately felt a kinship with the woman, resenting herself for it the next second. She wasn't intimidated by any of the men, and for all she knew this woman was the most formidable of them all. She herself struggled against the daily turmoil and conflicts that came with a competitive workplace in which men were so used to seeing only other men, and now she was doing the exact same thing most others did to her: underestimate the woman.  
All these years of progress and the gender roles were still deeply ingrained. She held back the internal sigh, pasting a professional smile on her face.

The liaison for the project, a young Mr. Stoll, greeted them and offered them the opposite side of the conference table.  
"This is the team lead for the project from Atlantis Holdings- Percy Jackson, and this is his team. Sir, would you like to make the introductions?"  
A lean, dark-haired man stepped forward, hand outstretched. She recognized the placid, professional smile as the same she wore and allowed herself an amused glance at his hair, which was a total mess, sticking up every which way. To his credit, however, the rest of him was well-groomed- a simple navy blue suit- he even made it look good without a tie.

"A pleasure," she said, taking his warm, rough palm in hers, shaking it firmly, as Stoll introduced her.

Athena had ensured that her daughter perfected the art of a firm handshake: not too tight a grip, not more than one movement, and _no sweaty palms_\- before she had even entered her company. _  
A woman needs to be twice as good as a man to get half the recognition for it_, her mother had once told her. _You can't afford to seem vulnerable._  
The memory was too hazy to recall whether she'd been bitter or if it was just another one of those matter-of-fact statements she had made and now... well, now she was dead. Annabeth supposed she would never know.

Some of her inward melancholic thoughts must have shown in her eyes because the man- Percy Jackson- smiled at her for real this time, his hand still gripping hers and she drew away, angry at herself.  
_You can't afford to seem vulnerable._

Everyone shook hands as Mr. Jackson introduced his team, and she hers. The other two men were his financial head and one of his top engineers and the woman was his lawyer.

"I'm surprised the CEO is involved in this," he stated, inclining his head toward her. Now that she studied him, he seemed familiar, like she had seen him somewhere.  
"I'm not officially the CEO yet," her smile was brittle. "And it's a huge project."

And it was... but also, for Annabeth, this was personal. Her first project without her mother holding the reigns- it was a bittersweet sort of challenge. While she had always wanted to be able to call the final shots on all projects- or at least, her own- she hadn't wanted it like this. Never like _this_. Grief pricked the back of her eyes and she choked it back with a vengeance.  
_You can't afford to seem vulnerable._

This project would be a test of her competence- or the lack of it.  
There was no need to elaborate on her insecurities, however so she left it at that.

"Exactly," he grinned, and one cheek dimpled. As he leaned forward, she noticed his eyes were a piercing sea green. "I can't wait to see what you have in mind."  
_Does he just have one of those faces?_ She wondered, because she was now sure she had seen him before._ Or do I know him?_

"Shall we, Mr Jackson?" she gestured to the empty seats around the sleek, glass table. She sat directly opposite to Jackson, folding her palms on the table, trying her best to appear a cool, collected figure.  
"Percy, please." he said, dragging his seat back, eyes meeting hers. She nodded.  
"Athena Design and co. will present their pitch for the aquarium project this hour and after we break for lunch, we'll discuss the rest of the details." Mr. Stoll announced, before gently closing the door.  
For a moment, they sized each other up, silent. Then it began.

* * *

"I have an hour for lunch, Jason. We need to talk." he growled into his phone.  
"Got it. Do I pick you up?"  
Percy consulted his watch. "Yeah, that would be best."

He rattled off an address and Jason paused. "Wait, you're at the Athena Design building?"  
Percy frowned. "Yeah, why?"  
"Oh. Why are you there?" Jason sounded pleasantly surprised.  
"I had a meeting, but how is that important-"  
"That's perfect! Wow, yeah stay there- there's a diner down the street."  
"Wait, Jason- why do you sound surp-"  
Jason hung up.  
"Dick." Percy muttered under his breath, annoyed at Jason's cryptic questioning. Unbothered ass. He had less than a day to find himself a fiancé and it was all Jason's fault.

His foot tapped restlessly against the tile as he waited for the ever-so-slow elevator that seemed to be practically _inching_ its way up. When it finally arrived, with a soft _ding_, he stepped in, relieved, and agitated at the same time.  
Percy was just about to call Alecto Dodds and check in despite her reassurance of Rachel's safety, when someone yelled- "Hold the door, please!"

He pressed the 'open door' button repeatedly, as a panting Annabeth Chase hurried toward him, phone pressed to her ear, a cloth folder-bag of sorts in her other hand. She offered him a brief, grateful smile before continuing her conversation with the recipient of her call.  
Something about the blonde felt familiar, like he had met her or known her before, but despite racking his brain, he couldn't recall how or where he might have met her before. He had spent nearly a third of the meeting, mulling over the possibility of having run into her at college, or school... had he dated her? He'd shaken off the notion immediately. Women like Annabeth Chase were way out of his league.

"I don't _care _how many people are waiting, you need to-" her hushed voice was strained with a sort of intense urgency, devoid of the passion she'd possessed when presenting her idea for the aquarium, answering every question with an enthusiastic fascination that left him confident of her abilities. This woman in the elevator with him was robbed of her straight spine and crisp tone, her back slightly hunched, the fingers of her free hand twisting the corner of her shirt. "- no, how about _you_ listen, I-... hello? Did you just- _hang up_ on me?!"

She broke off, staring at the blank screen in disbelief and a low sound of frustrated rage escaped her throat. Her fist tightened around the black plastic, knuckles whitening as she sighed and turned to Percy.  
"Hello," she murmured, inclining her head briefly. He echoed her greeting, cursing the speed of the elevator and its poorly chosen 'cheery' music. She turned toward him a second later, inhaling like she wanted to ask something, but turned away again.

They spent the rest of the slow ride in awkward silence.

* * *

Her phone began ringing the second the elevator doors opened, and Annabeth swiped at the screen without even looking at the name, eager to escape the strained awkward tension with a man she sort of knew but didn't exactly. She smiled at Jackson apologetically before pressing the phone to her ear, walking briskly toward the reception desk at the lobby's entrance.  
"Hello?"

"Hey, Annabeth, you free for lunch?"  
Jason.  
"Oh, hey man," she shifted her phone and held it between her ear and neck, as she zipped open her folder and whipped out a couple of papers. "No, I've got a couple of things to do. And I'm really pissed- I asked another attorney to give me a second opinion on disputing my mother's will, and the secretary just said no and _hung up_ on me!"

"Dude, seriously, this is important," Jason said, his voice muffled by her neck. "Trust me, you will not regret it."

"I can't- I'm expecting a delivery that I have to personally sign for Jason, and-" she shuffled over the papers to the receptionist, miming the action for _'Stamp'_. The amused receptionist nodded, and obliged. "-I have a meeting after, so I can't be late."

"It's at the diner in the corner, you know the place," he insisted. "It won't take too long."

Annabeth sighed.

"Fine," she grumbled, carefully slipping the stamped papers back into the folder and zipping it up. "I'll be there in twenty, after I get the delivery."

"Sounds good. See ya."  
"Bye."

* * *

"Are you going to make me wait until dessert, or are you going to freaking spill already?" Percy snapped. He figured he'd been extremely patient, all things considered.  
The diner was the cheery, all-kinds diner where one could enjoy an afternoon with friends or family, with its homely panels of mahogany and red, glass windows overlooking a busy road. The smell of grease and meat infiltrated their nostrils.  
The waitress had greeted them with a warm smile and a menu and Jason had situated them at a fairly secluded back booth. None of this was soothing Percy's agitation, as he shuffled opposite to Jason with his back facing the entrance. Jason rolled his eyes.

"You're being overdramatic."  
_Unbelievable._

"_I'm_ being-?- _you_-" Percy spluttered for the proper expression of his disbelief. His cousin waited, fingers steepled, eyebrows raised.

"I'm- _not _getting married." He stated finally.  
"You heard that Dodds lady- couples have a better chance at-"

"Okay- listen, Jason. Even assuming that I do get married- which is _absurd_ because I'm not seeing anyone and wives don't just fall out of the skies- it's stupid and silly and completely unnecessary!"  
"No, listen-"

"Besides, I only want to help Rachel- I love that kid. I'll find a way-"

"Oh, for the love of- will you _listen_?"  
"_Fine, _what?!"

Jason exhaled slowly.

"Can you- and _honestly, _tell me- can you _honestly _think of a solution that doesn't involve getting yourself a fake fiancé in the next day?"

Percy opened his mouth to retort- then shut it, defeated. Jason was right. He couldn't.

"That's what I thought." Jason said. "I know you want to keep denying it until its impossible to. Now- I have a friend, who also needs a fake marriage, alright? This works out perfectly for the two of you- you can just get a quick divorce once this whole thing blows over and it will be perfect, okay? You're welcome."

"But-"

The waitress with the warm smile and the notepad in her pocket interrupted at the best time: "Would you like anything to order?"  
"Oh, we're waiting for someone else, thanks- she'll be here in five minutes." Jason smiled at her apologetically. She glanced at the other occupants of the diner: there weren't many, just a family in the front table and a solitary man with a newspaper. Not a busy day.  
"Take your time," she shrugged, tucking the notepad back into her pocket and sauntering away.  
"Who's joining us?" Percy's brows were in danger of disappearing into his hairline.

"Your future fiancé," Jason allowed himself a small smile, amused by Percy's incredulity.  
"You didn't tell me-" he gripped his raven hair in frustration, banging his head on the table. "Jason, I can't just _marry_ someone- let alone someone I have never met!"

"Oh, that's okay- you have met her."  
Percy raised his head. "Who?"  
"It's-" Jason paused, eyes flitting over Percy's shoulder, to the entrance. He raised his voice and his hand, waving. "-Annabeth!"

Percy twisted around, still slumped in his seat, and was introduced, for the second time that day- to Annabeth Chase.

* * *

Annabeth and Percy stared at each other, surprised, to say the least, and more than a little bit confused.  
"Jason, what's going on? Mr Jackson... what..?" she began, wondering what kind of bizarre prank the world was playing on her.

"It's Percy," he said, then clamped his mouth shut like he realized that wasn't very important right then. Annabeth was really tired of these surprises that seemed to keep jumping at her these days: her mother's death, the will, Jason and Piper's engagement- and now _this_.

Jason stood, biting his lower lip nervously, and gestured to the seat beside him. "Why don't you take a seat?"

She did.  
Then the waitress shuffled over to their table eagerly, impatient from all the waiting. _You and me both, sis,_ Annabeth thought sourly. They were both tired of the waiting.

"What can I get you?"

"Some damn clarity." she muttered.  
The brunette lady peered at her in bewilderment. "I'm sorry?"  
She sighed and shook her head, ordering her lunch.

The moment the waitress walked away, she turned to Jason. "Okay, why am I in this diner with you- and the guy I'm supposed to meet with post-lunch?"  
"Wait, you guys have a meeting?" the blond man seemed genuinely surprised.  
"Jason, you said we've met before so what-" Percy Jackson began, sea-green eyes alight with exasperation- and that's when it struck her.  
An image of Percy- younger, with a baseball cap placed backward on his still-unruly hair, a crooked grin- rose in her head, like the answer she'd been searching for all morning. No wonder he'd looked familiar.

"You're Jason's cousin!" she exclaimed, equally delighted (at figuring out the matter of his strange familiarity) and disappointed (in the amount of time it took to recognize him). "We _have _met before."

Percy blinked at her, recognition filling in the gaps between the befuddlement. "That's why you looked so familiar- you're Piper's ex-roommate!" he laughed. "Wow, I can't believe I didn't remember."

"Er, so... what's going on?" she pressed.

"Um," Jason began, eyes flitting nervously between the pair of them. "Well... Percy actually needs something that- that you need too. The uh..."

He seemed to not know how to continue, scratching the skin behind his ear in chagrin. They waited him out, as patiently as they could- but Annabeth figured he had maybe five more seconds before she whacked him on the head.

"Okay, I'm just going to say it!" Jason exhaled. "You need to get married-" she glared at him, appalled that he would mention the dreaded bane of her goddamn existence casually to a man she barely knew!- "-and Percy needs to get married too! You both should marry each other!"

"What!?" She'd been ready to whack him anyway, when Percy turned to her.  
"You need this too?"  
"I- I- I'm- it's not-Ugh!" her frustration rippled to the surface. "It's complicated. But yes."  
He nodded like he completely understood. "Yeah, same."

At first, it was just embarrassment and frustrated surprise. Then apprehension joined the mixture of volatile emotion bubbling up inside her. She thought of the several attempts she had made just in the past three days, to succeed- to make the best of whatever situation she'd ben put in, the constant feeling like she was missing something and the fear that she might lose everything. She needed a solution. And a solution had just presented itself (well, Jason had presented it) to her- why refuse without understanding it, at the very least? The majority of her being heaved at the thought of following Athena's game plan.

She had failed.  
She had so hoped that there would be something she could circumvent- like cheating in a game. _Except, this isn't cheating! _she reminded herself. _And you have a solution!_

She took a deep breath.  
"Alright," she told the man with the sea-glass eyes across from her. "Explain."

* * *

Thalia knocked her knuckles against the desk again. "Hey, I've been waiting here for a lot longer than '_two minutes_' like you said, dude," she puffed out a breath, annoyed. "Where's your lieutenant?"

The man seated at the entrance to filing and evidence room shrugged, arms still folded. He didn't seem too bothered by her impatience.  
_Inter-agency politics are so goddamn annoying, _she grumbled to herself, eyeing the dude's slumped I-don't-care posture and stained mouth. Was that Kool-Aid on his shirt?

"You know- you could at least _pretend _to do your job." she snapped at him.  
He raised his brows. "I_ am_ doing my job. Waitin' for the Lieutenant to sign off."  
She couldn't exactly argue with that.

"Ah, Special Agent Grace?"

Thalia turned to see the owner of the voice- a lean Hispanic woman with dark eyes- approach, her expression stormy. "I'm Lieutenant Ramirez-Arellano. I guess you're here for the case that you stole from us?"  
She had to admit, she was a bit thrown off by the open hostility- but two could play at this game. Just as she opened her mouth to fire back some fiery retort, Artemis's command echoed in her head. _Cooperate._ She painstakingly ground her jaw shut.  
"Yep," she felt like she was almost in physical pain, keeping herself from flinging a well-deserved insult at the cop. "I'm Thalia. I need the files."

Ramirez-Arellano glared at her, turning away jerkily and nodding at the man who slumped at his desk. He shrugged and grabbed the file on top of the pile of folders on his desk.  
Thalia refrained from exclaiming in indignation. The file had been right _there_? _Asshole_.

The Lieutenant flipped it open- and frowned. "Dakota," her voice was strained. "Where's the Dare file?"

Dakota sighed exasperatedly, leaning forward. "This _is_ the-" he blinked. Then blinked again. Maybe all that Kool-Aid was catching up with him. "Oh my _God_."

Thalia was gripped with the chilly sensation that something had gone wrong. And if something had gone wrong at the beginning... that didn't bode well for the rest of the case.

"What?" she demanded. "What is it?"  
She shoved the woman to the side and flipped the folder open. It was empty.

"It's stolen," the Lieutenant's face was taut with anger and disbelief. "The case files are gone."

* * *

**Okay, so if you didn't completely 'feel' the Percabeth meeting- it's because I made it as anticlimactic and awkward as possible. Most of these Rom-Coms or romance fanfics have sparks flying the second they meet- and that's just not realistic to me. Sometimes the person you end up falling in love with is someone you have to gradually get to know and love. **

**Meeting new people_ is_ awkward for most of us. It's real.**


End file.
